How Born Free Foundation Handles the Truth – and All Fall for it February 2016, Volume 14-1

Hunting opponents continuously spread the myth that sustainable conservation hunting in Africa is driving the African lion towards extermination. This vociferous campaign in the media and internet frequently operates with incorrect numbers and reports. Any trickery seems to be good enough if it serves the objective of eliminating hunting. Printed media and television programs constantly fall for these unfounded tirades and spread the propaganda of hunting opponents.

The British animal rights organization Born Free Foundation (BFF)[1] recently delivered again a tell-tale story of how to stretch the truth in order to serve their own interests. In February 2016 BBF made sensationalist claims about the “amazing discovery” of a previously unknown lion population in a remote northwestern region of Ethiopia. The objective was obvious – as evidenced by a BFF tweet on 2nd February which said … potentially bringing in additional funding and international pressure … – let the donation tills ring! Born Free Foundation is blatantly against all sustainable hunting and makes no bones about this fact! Landrover – very popular amongst hunters around the world – is one of the main sponsors of BFF as reported in African Indaba Vol 12 # 6 (see also BFF tweet of 29th January “The #LandRoverDefender is part of Born Free’s DNA…” – @willtravers).

The reality on the ground is rather profane. This lion population is known for years. The big cats are listed in the official mammal list of Alitash National Park, are mentioned in a seven-year-old travel guide as well as in an official UN document (RAMSAR documentation from 2003 on Dinder National Park in Sudan). Alitash and Dinder are a known single lion habitat. Even Wikipedia mentions these lions!

Reportedly the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) is rather incensed about the fairy-tale talk of Born Free.

[1]Born Free webpage on trophy hunting says that the organization “is wholly opposed to the killing of animals for sport or pleasure, whether they are wild-born or bred in captivity. We have been working to bring the brutality of this so-called ‘sport’ to the attention of policymakers, enforcement bodies, and the public, for many years.” Read more about BFF’s fundamental opposition to sustainable use HERE

The CIC

The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) is a politically independent advisory body which aims to preserve wild game and hunting. To achieve this goal, the CIC is promoting the sustainable use of wildlife resources.